No Way Out
by Backward Mind
Summary: When you're reaped, you're trapped. Winning the Hunger Games isn't enough to escape the Capitol and its web of lies and secrets. No, you're stuck for life. Everett Donelan of District 12 has been training for the Games ever since his brother was killed 7 years earlier. When he's reaped, the odds are in his favor. But when he wins, he learns that there's no escaping the Capitol.


**This is my first Hunger Games fanfiction, so I apologize in advance if it sucks. Thanks for reading, though. **

**No Way Out—A Hunger Games Fanfiction **

**Prologue **

Everett stared hard at the television. It was probably going to be the last time he saw his brother alive. The Hunger Games were evil this way. They ripped those whom you love away from you. And for Everett Donelan, that would happen in sixty, no, fifty nine seconds. Fifty nine seconds and his older brother Evan would be walking to his death.

Fifty seconds until the gong rang out and let loose a band of killers. In fifty seconds, Evan would have to fight for his life. And he probably wouldn't stand a chance. Every tribute in the arena was bigger than Evan. They were all older than Evan, too. But being a Seam kid, he couldn't help that. He also couldn't help the fact that he was small, skinny, malnourished, and only twelve years old.

Forty seconds…Everett stopped thinking about how the odds would never be in his brother's favor and observed the arena. The ground was lightly dusted with snow and tall, green evergreen trees surrounded the Cornucopia, a gleaming golden structure overflowing with supplies. It was really a breathtaking sight, a picture right out of a postcard. Everett thought that it shouldn't be a place where twenty three kids would die. But yet it was.

Half the time was gone. There were only thirty seconds remaining. Part of Everett hoped that Evan would take off into the forest surrounding the Cornucopia. It was his best chance of survival, but then again, he needed the supplies. Apparently there was no safe route for Evan to take in these Games.

Twenty short seconds…..possibly the last twenty seconds of Evan's life. There was basically no hope…..even if Evan did survive the bloodbath; no one would sponsor a skinny little stick of a kid. Everett hated having these thoughts, but he couldn't shake them. Perhaps if Haymitch Abernathy was actually sober enough to help Twelve's tributes….. A stupid thought. The veteran of the Games was almost always too wasted even to walk in a straight line….. Everett felt a rush of anger. It wouldn't kill the man to try, would it? Practically the whole district knew that the drunk never gave much of an effort. Since Haymitch won, twenty six tributes had come home—in a box.

Ten… Evan was staring hard at the Cornucopia. He was going to take his chances….Everett felt sick. There was no way the kid could survive those nasty Careers, who were just short of being trained killers.

"No. NO. _NO!_" Everett screamed and beat his little fists against the old TV. "Don't do it, Evan!"

Nine, eight, seven. There was nothing he could do to change his brother's mind. Everett was miles away from Evan. There'd be no way in hell that he'd be able to speak to his brother.

Six seconds, five seconds, four seconds, three seconds. Everett watched miserably as his brother prepared to walk to his death. Suddenly afraid, Everett crawled up to the old and torn sofa where his parents and younger brother Ellery were sitting.

Two…..the room was silent. Pain, loss and desperation hung in the air like a poisonous fog. It was like everyone had accepted the fact that there was no way out for Evan.

One…Everything was silent as the family watched Evan. It was like being at the bedside of a dying man taking his last breath. In fact, Evan was probably taking his final breaths if he wanted to fight.

Then the gong sounded, loud and clear. Evan jumped off the plate and hurtled toward the Cornucopia. His feet touched the ground for only a millisecond before rising up again. Everett was thrilled! Evan was going to make it to the Cornucopia before any of the others—he could get supplies and run! Even better: Evan was going to win! Everett could almost see his brother sitting next to him in a ginormous house, surrounded with food and money. They'd have a better life. Mom and Dad wouldn't have to work anymore. They'd actually have hot water!

Everett sighed and focused his attention on the TV just in time to see the tribute from District Two grab Evan and stab him in the heart.

The pain would never fade.

**This probably sucked, but give me some time, and I'm sure it'll get better. First chapters are not my thing. **

**I also apologize for writing so little, but there was only so many things I could write for a prologue! Future chapters will be longer.**

**Thanks for reading! Chapter one will be up soon! **


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